Travel east coast Oz within 12 days?

11.
Posted byJames1976(Budding Member 41 posts) 12y
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Hey Jas,

Thanks for the extra info, you're a star! I have thought about magnetic island but im having a job fitting it all in at the moment. It does sound great, after what you said i think i might change to go with Oz Experience as they do more for you and its more the party scene too (though more expensive, but im already paying loads for the trip so why skimp lol).

Originally i thought that the OzExperience was a fixed trip and you had to leave each place when your bus did, i didnt realise you could stay behind and book the next OzExperince bus that came along, so it does sounds quite ideal. Im already commited to a whistunday cruise at Airlie so would stop there for a number of days It is a bit more limited with OzExp (only leaving on certain days and not always a direct route to where i want to go) so i will have a bit more of a think.

Im actually travelling up the coast, from Sydney to Cairns (leaving end of March). My only commitment really is that Whistsunday cruise (i have to book in advance) so its a case of trying to work out how much time i've got and how long i have to fit the places in between (including travel)

Thanks Jas, i will pop another post (or 10!) here if i get a bit stuck Now back to that itinerary for some serious re-jiggling lol Thanks a lot for your help and the info! Very much appreicated!

James

12.
Posted byJames1976(Budding Member 41 posts) 12y
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Hi Jas,

Its me again! Hope you dont mind me rambling with some more questions Think i've almost finished my itinerary now and i actually have two spare days (apart from the minumum 10 you're supposed to have) when travelling the east coast (yes i know, wow - two whole days! lol).

Anyway, i just cant decide what to do bus-wise - wether OzExp, Greyhound, Magic bus, etc. I was decided on OzExp but after reading various forums im just not sure. Firstly i am really limited on days and so if i cant get a seat on the bus then im a bit knackered lol. If you book a seat far in advance, is it guaranteed that it will be saved for me? And if i stay somewhere for an extra day (like Byron bay for example) and telephone OzExp 24hrs in advance, whats the liklihood of me getting a seat (say between 0 - 100% ). Im just worried about being stuck somewhere for more than a day or so otherwise i'd be well stuffed!

Also, whats the age range generally for the OzExp bus? Im 29 so im worried about being too old (but im young at heart, and like to party.. to a degree lol ).

Well when i was there a couple of weeks ago i personally booked at the Oz office and because i had limited time i seemed to be booked on all the way through. but as for the others who could be flexible they booked on the night before.But i dont think it was too busy then, the buses were full though.

One russian girl-who was a weird one, turned up one morning without booking on and she was moody as hell anyway, our tour guide got her on the bus but she wanted to go further but as we were picking up lots of people at another place she couldnt. (she did as someone cancelled!)

I tell you what you can do is book it all in advance like a few days in advance and then any changes you just phone them up. They dont mind you cancelling, even first thing in the morning. If you book on and dont turn up with no warning then you will get fined-which is fair enough! You can book the whole weeks worth!

As for your age-that shouldnt be a problem, a few of guys that i met up with were 26/27. Although about 60% were early-mid twenties and heaven forbid you get a bunch of 20year old girls-there were these ones from Scotland and oh how annoying they were!

Someone will chat to you. Your'll be fine.

partying-you can go out for a bit and then go to bed or stay out all night, it's not like here-you know the next moring a thousand questions like why did you go to bed early and how boring you are! it's all good fun!

I can't believe youve got it all sorted already-it takes me ages-well perhaps because i tend to leave things! lol!

Are you doing the surfing route by any chance?

14.
Posted byJames1976(Budding Member 41 posts) 12y
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Hey there Jas,

Thanks a lot for the advice. For the age thing i was a just a bit worried about being a bit too much older than the rest of the crowd... but i guess i could just out-party them lol

To be honest i'll probably do all my bus bookings in advance (i pretty much know all the dates - unusually organised for me! ). And then if i stay a bit longer at one of the the stops then i'll re-book straight away for my next bus. If i by any chance miss a bus is there any other buses/transport to get me to the next place at all? Oh and is it possible to stay on the bus past one of the stops and onto the next one? (so basically i skip a stop).

As i said i seemed to have finished my itinerary, took me blimmin ages! Hopefully i can get the flights that im after and then party time I had a right job squeezing in everything for Oz in 6 weeks, even had to cut out perth as it didnt look as fun as the east coast!

Hey how did you guess i was doing the surfing route?! Am i that transparent lol. Yeah, it looked more fun and interesting where as the in-land route looked more rocks-and-wineries which isnt my thing really. The surfing looks fun though (if i manage to ever stay on the board!).

I bet you're off back there soon enough, are you going to be working in Oz?

Post 15 was removed by a moderator

16.
Posted byjodub79(Full Member 22 posts) 12y
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Hi James,Not sure about oz experience, only know from talking to different people we met on our travels. But alot of people found that it was difficult to get a space on the bus and ended up in places longer than they wanted. And aswell as that it was mostly very young people on the bus?? But we travelled with Greyhound, we just phoned the night before we moved on and would always get a place. I think you tend to meet lots of people either way. And you usually bump into the same people alot cause everyone stops off at the same places. Can't remember the times between stops but we went to Fraser Island from Hervey Bay, and our next stop was Airlie and that was a long journey but we just travelled through the night. Don't miss out on Fraser! And Whitsundays was the highlight of our east coast trip. Enjoy!

17.
Posted byJames1976(Budding Member 41 posts) 12y
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Hi JoDub,

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated. Yes im a bit torn at the moment, OzExperience sounds fun and they organise stuff for you but also as you say not getting a seat on the bus is a slight worry as i cant afford to miss a stop really (tight schedule!). However i got the impression that im more likely to meet people on the OzExperience than Greyhound, i want a fun young crowd but not so that i feel old lol. Im pondering at the moment so think i will book my flights first

Im definately doing Whistundays, really looking forward to that! Also would like to do Fraser Island but i will see how time goes.

The surf route james is brill! and you will be standing up, i was on my second day-its so much fun-really takes it out of you-great for keeping fit and buring off those calories from all the alcohol!! Must send off my film for that!

I actually payed for the in-land route-which seemed a bit boring and not my thing but i didnt really look into it, i just thought actually surfing myself is not my thing-little did i know.

Oz ex. cancelled my bus doing the inland route and upgraded me free to the surf route, they had a shortage of staff-but as i say they sort something out for you.

You will go to Arrawarra and then Cresent Head for surfing-cresent head is a laugh, the waves were so strong i couldnt get far, i had to have an instuctor drag me out to the waves!! haha! lil old me struggling against those big waves and strong current!

Cresent Head-if they have a lot of people staying there your'll meet some great people-sitting round the camp fire in the evening is the best-when most people have gone off to bed and your one of the last ones-ahh brill! The food is awesome there-pile your plate high.Couple of the guys that work there are great!

Yeh i'll be working in Oz, prob go to Sydney first again-its a bit like a home! Really cant wait. I bet your'll love it.

ive skived off work today-long story but if i want a day off i'll have a day off!!

Sorry got so wrapped up i forgot to answer your questions!! silly moi!

I'm sure if you miss a bus or cant get on one that there is another form of transport-Oz Ex. would give you info or the hostel that your staying at. Im sure sure at what cost though.

Thats the thing that differs with greyhound and Oz, if you want to go on further than the last stop off that oz Ex. do then you have to stay there and cant go until they move on again and Oz ex dont travel through the night. i think greyhound are a bit more like normal public transport in the way they run and are a bit more flexible in that way.

I'll tell you what i'll do-i'll mail you my Oz Ex. bustimetable that i had. my scanner doesnt work so i'll have to type it out. Your'll see that they do run quite a few buses-i'll give you the surfers route. your'll understand more when you see it.

20.
Posted byJames1976(Budding Member 41 posts) 12y
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Yeah should be good, putting another shrimp on the barbie.. i mean camp fire lol.

Should be booking my flights tommorow then its just a few months until i go. Sure we should meet up and party, mines a vodka lol. (or may be i should buy you a drink since you've been such a star in helping me).

Tisk tisk... skiving off work, i bet you're at home planning your trip! Thanks for the time-table, much appreciated. I will have a browse through it.

I probably will go with OzExperience to be honest, despite being limited to where and when they stop. Greyhound is more ideal for me in terms of being flexible which i would prefer, but i want the 'group' feel more and the assistance with the booking accomodation and built-in activities.